Client Corner: Swezey Fuel

Swezey Fuel is the largest family owned full-service fuel oil company in Suffolk County. Founded by Nat Swezey in 1918, the company sold feed for horses before purchasing Dayton Hedges Coal and Feed Co. in 1921.

This year, Swezey Fuel celebrates its 100th anniversary as a family-owned business. They kicked off the celebration with a customer appreciation day complete with food, music, contests, face painting and a bouncy house. While the company will be celebrating this milestone throughout 2018, Swezey Fuel President Gary Zanazzi is already looking forward to the next 100 years.

Gary, who is the third generation owner, took over the operation in 1980. “We’ve been lucky that each generation has children who are excited to join the business. It’s worked out well for us.” And the incoming generation of ownership isn’t just given a cushy job in the corner office. For a complete understanding of how the company operates, family members from the next generation of ownership work different jobs throughout the company. Swezey Fuel General Manager Kent Fuhrmann is the fourth generation of the family business, along with Michael Zanazzi.

In addition to oil, kerosene and diesel, Swezey Fuel has diversified by adding a number of home services divisions such as plumbing, heating and air conditioning. The company has also introduced solar energy as a service offering.

MFB has worked with Swezey Fuel since the early 1970s. In addition to client accounting services and tax preparation and planning, Gary and his team have consulted with MFB on business valuation and business succession planning.

“We run financial decisions, like purchasing equipment and installing solar panels, through them,” says Gary. “They are a friend of the company and take our business to heart.”

We congratulate Swezey Fuel on their 100 year anniversary and look forward to the future.